OS GPS Convertor v2 released

barryd · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 8:51 am Post subject: OS GPS Convertor v2 released

I've updated my utility to work with TT5 (I hope). As TomTom's "Go to coordinates" feature has gone, I hope my utility will now be useful to more people.

It's free to download and use, all I ask is that you post back here to confirm what Pocket PC / Windows / TomTom versions you've got it to run on - or not - in order to help others.

What it lets you do:
* Convert positions between latitude / longitude and Ordnance Survey British and Irish National Grids
* Input a position - anywhere in the world - and save it in a TomTom POI or Itinerary file. You can then Navigate to, Show on map, etc. in TomTom
* Show a position on an OziExplorer map. You can then create a waypoint, go to, etc. in OziExplorer

The web page about it is here:
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/barrydavies/osgps.htm

I don't have TT5 yet (I ordered it 2 days ago, where can it be?). From reading reviews, I expect a couple of steps to change - e.g. you may have to assign a hardware button to show the Start menu, and opening / saving interface for Itineraries may be a little different.

Many thanks to the people who've been giving me feedback on it for the last couple of days - it's greatly appreciated!
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Barry Davies

julianbarker · Lifetime Member Joined: Apr 12, 2005 Posts: 431

It looks like TT5 supports itineraries, but not by using ITN files - so unfortunatly, to get a group of Lat/Longs into TT5 that you have created by OS GPS you have to do the following -

Create a POI category (mine is called Lat/Long) or an Itinerary - close TT.

Use OS GPS to create a POI with the coordinates.

So you can use OS GPS to create another POI you need to free up the one it has created before it is overwritten -

Create a Favourite from the OS GPS POI you have created - then add that POI to your Lat/Long POI category or Itinerary as you wish. I prefer the POI approach as POIs can be edited by third part apps and TT5 itineraries can't right now.

Looks complicated, but it doesn't take long - and you can easily rename the POI as whatever you want during the process.

barryd · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:07 pm Post subject:

I'm just trying out TomTom 5 today - ITN files are still there, but stored in a different folder. It also looks like there's a subtle (but, being a computer, critical) change to how lines are written to the ITN file. I'll post here again once I've sorted it out and released an updated version.
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Barry Davies

julianbarker · Lifetime Member Joined: Apr 12, 2005 Posts: 431

I can find an ITN folder - but searching my device using pocket explorer showed no ITN files - but I can see them searching the device from the PC. Strange.

Now I have found them, POI Edit seems to work with them OK - but i have not tried much.

barryd · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 11:23 pm Post subject:

I've now fixed the bugs in OS GPS Convertor and version 2.0.1 works correctly with TomTom Navigator 5.
Please download this new version from the usual place:
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/barrydavies/osgps.htm
If you are upgrading from version 2.0.0, please note the step in the new 2.0.1 installation to delete any osgps.itn file that you copied to the Pocket PC for 2.0.0.
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Barry Davies

ahardie · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 14, 2004 Posts: 44

Just tried out the latest version of your programme and it works perfectly. This software really is a must-have for any TomTom user who also has memory-map or any other OS mapping.

MalcD · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 10

Barry

A very useful programme - but I can't create a POI because I can't set the file/folder location using the Settings menu - the TTN5 maps files are on my Storage Card - any ideas?

Thanks

MalcD

barryd · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject:

Hi
You need to copy the osgps.poi and osgps.bmp files supplied in the downloaded zip file into the folder on the storage card where you map is. You should then be able to see this file when you use the Settings - TomTom POI file location option.
If it's still not showing, please post back the exact folder location where you're putting it. I'm aware that the built-in dialog box I'm using can't see all folders on the Pocket PC (even with the top drop-down option set to "All Folders"), but I've not yet come across any folder where you can install the TomTom maps that does not show up in my list.
If there is a problem with it, I'd need to rewrite that dialog to a less user friendly version of having a text box where you type in the full path, as I've already had to do for the Itinerary file folder.
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Barry Davies

barryd · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:59 pm Post subject:

Brain in neutral - I did of course mean to say osgps.ov2 and osgps.bmp files.
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Barry Davies

MalcD · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 10

Barry

The .ov2 and .bmp files are in a folder with the Great_Britain_plus maps where TomTom needs them to be - I think the dialogue box you use only collates files which are in the My Documents folder on the storage card (which these aren't) - I think your alternative suggestion will work fine ie make the POI folder setting routine the same as the Itinerary setting. I look forward to testing a revised version.

Thanks

Malcolm

barryd · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:16 pm Post subject:

Hi, I'd like to pursue this one a bit, as changing the dialog actually makes life a little harder for everyone else - and my install and configure routine isn't exactly the best feature of the program...
On my setup (see sig below for details) my map file is in:
\CF Card\Great_Britain_Plus-Map
and I do see all the POI files in that folder in my list, including the osgps.ov2 one that I need to select.
Can you do a google re a file called:
ignore_my_docs
and read some of the top hits on the various Pocket PC forums. The advice in them varies so I'm loathe to give a definitive instruction, but you may find that if you don't have that file on the root of your storage card now and you add it, then the problem will go away. Please let me know how you get on.
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Barry Davies

MalcD · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 10

Barry

Thanks - problem has disappeared!

Malcolm

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

Hi Barry

I've been using your OSGPS software and have to say I love it - well done!

I'm about to move across to a TomTom GO 700 instead of a PDA and need to continue to navigate to OS Grid References and Lat/Lon points - I guess by generating a POI from them.

Do you know of any PC software that works in a simillar way to yours which will allow me to generate the POI on my PC, which I can then manually transfer it to my GO?

Thanks

Steve

barryd · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:10 pm Post subject:

Hi there, glad you found it useful.
I think you'll find that POIConvertor by Richard Davies (no relation) does what you now want:
http://rjdavies.users.btopenworld.com/html/poiconverter.html
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Barry Davies

BrummyGit · Regular Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 113

Wow what a speedy reply - thanks I'll take a look at it.

Now if you could just rework OSGPS to run on the GO........

Cheers

Steve

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